Think Ferrari in the 1980s and, if you’re wired anything like us, images of crisp pastel linen suits, macho moustaches, cheese grater-like side strakes and Gilles Villeneuve (quite literally) driving the wheels off his scarlet Formula 1 car spring to mind. But, believe it or not, the prancing horse also sanctioned a rally programme during the era of excess. Admittedly, seeing the pretty Pininfarina-shaped 308 GTB attacking a rugged and stiflingly dusty special stage and not prowling a beachfront lined with palm trees and scantily clad sunseekers is a little unseemly – a bit like listening to Pavarotti rapping or Massimo Bottura serving hamburgers in a McDonald’s restaurant. But you only had to look at the credentials of the outfit charged with building these rally thoroughbreds, Michelotto, to realise this was no vanity project on Ferrari’s part.

Alex Easthope
Deputy Editor